


Spoils of War

by HuyanaShadowheart



Category: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-25 19:05:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12042291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HuyanaShadowheart/pseuds/HuyanaShadowheart
Summary: Reader is a mage and was taken back to Camelot as a price of war by Vortigern. They confront him about his thirst for power.





	Spoils of War

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for the request over on tumblr! Since I didn’t get anything specific, I just went with what came first into my mind. Also, tried to keep the Reader as non-specific regarding gender as possible. Hope, you’ll like it ^^ (Sorry for the weird writing style, I think, watching Spartacus for the past two days has its effect on me xD)

The images of your slaughtered family and your village, set ablaze by King Uther’s men on his brother’s behest, still haunted you. Even weeks after your loved ones and your home had fallen at the blades of the soldiers, you still woke up in the middle of the night in cold sweat and with a thundering heart, which, you feared, might escape your chest, if you weren’t careful enough.

                And yet, it was a miracle, that you were still alive. Although, you yourself would not call it a miracle as you had been dragged by Vortigern himself into the palace to live as his pet mage, to be gawked and glared at by servants and nobles alike. While he still desired more power and threw himself into the studies of a craft you had no desire to dive further into.

                But Vortigern did not care for your own thoughts or the fact that the magic he sought to master was but a dark and cruel one, one that required so much sacrifice that only one had dared venture that far. Mordred might not yet be the thundering threat to Camelot he was bound to become, but you could already hear him growling on the horizon, faint promises of the bloodshed that was yet to come.

                Although you wanted nothing more than to be released from your prison inside the palace, you couldn’t and wouldn’t look away while Vortigern endangered himself, his family and his people. Others would have called you a fool for still believing in the good in men, but there was nothing else for you to do than hope. Hope that Vortigern could still be reasoned with.

                And you were about to set that hope to the test. You thrust open the door that led from your chambers into Vortigern’s private study. Why he kept you close to his studies where you could wreak unimaginable havoc if left unchecked, you would never understand. It was certainly not because he had gone soft on you. Perhaps he simply believed you harmless, not knowing that whatever he made you show him in terms of magic and spells, helped you become stronger as much as it did for him.

                ‘Vortigern, I have to warn you, if you keep following this path, it will not only lead to your own suffering but to that of your family. I know, you love your wife and Catia, your daughter. But if you seek out even more power than you already have, you will have to make unimaginable sacrifices,’ you said.

                Vortigern had neither looked up from his books nor turned around when you had burst into the room. He still didn’t look at you, when he answered. Although, you knew the look he would give you would be a dark and frightening one. ‘I did not think, I had given my prisoner any permission to voice concerns over what we are doing. I know, what I have to do in order to become more powerful. Mordred already told me.’

                ‘You cannot really mean to give the life of your wife and child to the sirens just so can be as powerful as Mordred. He is a monster, nothing but a shadow of the great man he once was. Even his own people fear him now. I’m sure that is not what you wish to become.’ Your voice trembled lightly at the thought of what else Mordred might have whispered into Vortigern’s ear. Truth was, you didn’t even want to know. All you wanted was your freedom, but you doubted, Vortigern would ever grant it.

                The king’s brother now did turn around to face you, a grim smirk on his face while he slowly strode towards you. His voice was low and dangerous. ‘I do not care what you think Mordred has become or what I will become if I follow him. You are nothing more than a pet, your only purpose is to do whatever I tell you to do. Not chew my ear off with your worries. I. Do. Not. Care. Whatever you think Mordred was or is, I will be far greater than he ever could be. My power will exceed his and if I have to sacrifice my family to gain it, then so be it.’

                He had now reached you, a hand gripping your face, holding you tightly in place. ‘You will care once you have felt the pain of loved ones’ life draining from their bodies because of your own actions. Once they die in your arms, I hope, you will see your mistakes. But I am afraid, you will never learn. And that will be not only your own downfall, but the demise of many others.’

                Vortigern pushed you backwards, until you hit the stone wall and you flinched at the cold touch of the stone on your back. ‘Perhaps, I should take your life first then.’

                ‘Do it. I welcome death’s embrace and the freedom it finally will bring,’ you hissed. Your hands balled to fists at your sides. You could slowly feel his magic come to life around him.

                ‘No. It would be too easy, and too merciful to simply slit your throat. Maybe, you can be useful to me after all.’ He smiled again, his magic now bursting into action around both of you. Blinding light filled your eyes and you lost your bearings for a moment.

                When you finally came too again, you saw the room from a whole different angle. And you felt smaller, feathers on your body. You could see your human body slipping to the floor in front of Vortigern. He simply left it there, not bothering to pick it up. Instead, he came towards you again. He seemed so much bigger from the angle you got to look at him now. But maybe, that was also just because you were smaller than before.

                ‘You will make a fine trophy someday, but first, we have work to do, my pet. Such are the spoils of war. I apologize, but your words spurred me into action. And now, you can still be useful to me after all,’ he smiled down at you and then picked up the cage you were in. You flapped your wings and cawed, desperately trying to get out the words your human mouth would have been able to form, had you still inhabited your old body. Vortigern shushed you, telling you to be quiet, while he carried you off to the sirens’ cave.


End file.
